Michael Bernard Fitzgerald’s sixth studio album, Horizon Lines, is a collection of songs that reflect on a set of feelings that he thinks are pretty universal these days. 

“So much to do, the days feeling shorter, managing stress with the pace feeling quicker – I think the lyrics are about doubling down on hope to get through it all and appreciating the beautiful moments along the way,” Fitzgerald explains. 

Partnering with longtime friend and trusted producer Josh Rob Gwilliam, the pair navigated their new realities of fatherhood and the reopening world by collaborating remotely – sharing voice notes, percussion loops, and audio files amongst sleepless nights and nap times. 

This unconventional approach led to a record that captures the essence of finding oneself in a new way, often with the gentle sounds of Fitzgerald’s family life making their way into the final mixes.

Horizon Lines’ title track combines organic and electronic elements – acoustic guitar, big drums off the top, along with processed omnichord and organ bass to translate Fitzgerald’s experience of the beautiful lines of the horizon as the ever present reminder of days passing.

I felt like the days were slipping by, marked by these beautiful lines of colour at sunrise and sunset. The days themselves blending into a bit of a haze. I caught myself noticing how beautiful the colours looked out the window, but feeling like the days were slipping at the same time. There is beauty in the moment, things to be thankful for, and the current chapters will continue to evolve. Eventually there is calm and rest and it will all be part of the story. – Michael Bernard Fitzgerald